Coinciding with the 38th UAE Afforestation Week, Sharjah Girl Guides (SGG) organised the ‘Pick and Grow’ initiative in collaboration with Sharjah Municipality, with the aim of fostering a culture of environmental conservation and highlighting the importance of increasing green spaces to enhance ecological sustainability.

During the activity, SGG’s guides (12-15 years) were introduced to the various methods of planting, daily care giving plants and how to keep them healthy.

Participants planted 250 flowers and citrus tree saplings during the activity, which aligns with the initiative’s aim to promote the concept of environmental work as part of SGG’s efforts to entrench good values and enhance social responsibility among its members.

Sheikha Abdulaziz Al Shamsi, Manager of SGG, said: “In view of noticeable climate change and rapidly deteriorating climatic conditions around the world, whether global warming, declining water resources, or continuous deforestation, it is imperative for us to take precautionary measures on a large scale as it is the only way to gradually stop and then reverse the process of global warming, preserving the environment and increasing green spaces in our beloved country.”

“The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the nation, inspired us to conserve our country’s nature and environment as he always insisted that our environment is a national responsibility and we have to live up to this great responsibility,” she added.

Al Shamsi continued: “The environmental initiative, which coincides with the nation’s celebration of the Year of Zayed, aimed to promote the concepts of environmental sustainability among guides and guests, and encourage them to shoulder their share of preserving the environment and further contributing to the promotion of its sustainability.”

The initiative also aimed to firmly establish a culture of planting saplings and increasing green spaces and natural landscapes in various places that can be cultivated due to their great benefit and importance in combating climate change and maintaining climatic stability.

“We seek to take such green initiatives beyond our geographical boundaries toward regional and global dimension in order to avoid damage to the environment,” Al Shamsi emphasised.

Engineer Dawood Salman Al Ani, Manager of Agricultural Services at Sharjah Municipality said: “The benefits of trees extend beyond their aesthetic qualities. They not only contribute to purifying our atmosphere, but boost our local and economic output with their abundant produce. Despite the desert climate of the UAE, several trees including lemon and citrus trees, berry trees, and many more thrive here.”

He advised the guides to follow up on the saplings they planted, noting that the successful development of a seed or an infant plant is largely dependent on continuous monitoring and care. He confirmed Sharjah Municipality’s readiness to provide all kinds of support to SGG to help ensure their plants thrive and grow.

On the sidelines of the initiative, SGG organised a workshop titled ‘Fruitful Gardens’ in its efforts to raise awareness about the significance of environmental work by individuals and groups. At the end of the event, SGG honoured Sharjah Municipality’s workers who contributed to make the initiative a success.

Established in the UAE in Sharjah in 1973, the guiding movement subsequently spread to all seven emirates, giving rise to the Girl Guides Association of the United Arab Emirates in 1979. Operating under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), SGG aims to inspire and nurture future generations to become progressive global citizens by providing a platform to develop to their fullest potential.